21.12.2024 Save a [bit of a] tree!

 ~o~

  Saturday 21st 41F/5C. Dry but windy morning followed by rain.

 Up at 7.00 after another quiet night. The heart monitor went almost unnoticed overnight in bed. It was never a problem. My left nostril is trying to bleed again.

 Somehow, even my plants look untidy.

 I really must buy some more logs today. As well as do some vital shopping. I don't even have any bread rolls.

 Whoops! The timber yard, which is my usual source of beech logs, closed yesterday for its Christmas holidays. Not open again until the 2nd January! That's two whole weeks! I have only three to four day's worth left.😳 I shall just have to burn briquettes. Mix them with the logs. I can get more briquettes but the stove manufacturer suggests very limited use. A maximum of one briquette per hour.

 There is another source of logs but I have no idea if they are open on Saturdays. It usually means calling them on the phone. I called. Not today, but I can fetch a trailer full on Monday. That will be a relief. 

 10.00 Returned from another shopping village. Where the choice is much wider. Despite one outlet from a supermarket chain closing down. I offer four full carrier bags as evidence of abundance. I may yet freeze but I will eat well. Everything seems very wet from overnight rain. Puddles everywhere.

 Only 60F/15C in the room. I'll go shopping in the village to keep warm. Save the planet!😊  I checked the moisture content of some of the drier looking horse chestnut logs in the heap outside. 22% might burn if I store it near the stove before using it. It was covered once but the lightweight tarpaulins don't last. I have reserves of wood chippings stored in old wheely bins. Salvaged over the years from "dirty" trailer loads of logs. Waste not. Want not. 

 More shopping in the village. I had better start tidying up. The washing up backlog needs to be done too. 13.30 I lit the stove and added the split horse chestnut pieces to the kindling. It seems to catch light readily and burns well. A slightly odd smell though not too bad. 

 I can feel the warmth on the back of my neck. It's lucky I didn't give it all of it away. Giggle suggests it only works in stoves. As it is known to spit on open fires. I will have to dig into the huge pile for the dry stuff at the centre. If I need to.

 Dinner was delayed while I washed up. Without which there would be no cutlery nor crockery. Then, and only then, I fried sausages, mushrooms and tweggs.

 Shortly afterwards the heart monitor battery gave out and needed the battery to be replaced. A charger and second battery is also supplied. I had charged the battery yesterday evening. So was well prepared. The instructions had suggested the battery be changed in the evening. So that the battery lasts through the night. 

 8.45 43F/6C. It is windy enough outside to be noisy. I am feeding the fire on bits and pieces of beech. The room has only reached 65F/18C.

 

  ~o~